Christmas Shopping

A grey day yesterday spent Christmas shopping in Bolton, made memorable by this Peregrine Falcon chasing the town centre Feral Pigeons.

Water Rail

Water Rail. Pencil and Ink Wash. 105mm x 155mm.

The last drawing of my set of 13 illustrations for the 2007 Huddersfield Birdwatchers Club Report. Based on a sketch I did over 20 years ago.

Littondale

Littondale Barn. Linocut and Watercolour. 150mm x 210m. Artists Proof.

A typical dales barn. This one in Littondale is situated beside the road just down the dale from the village of Litton. For three summers I lived in the dale whilst working for the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union studying Peregrine Falcons. This was an important time artistically, falling as it did straight after I left college. Surrounded by an abundance of subject matter and away from the sometimes distracting creative influences of art college I was free to begin developing and exploring my own 'style' and way of working. It was around this time that I began to draw and sketch directly with pen and ink, although I had been advised to use a pen whilst at college. At that time with the arrogance of youth I had ignored the advice, something I now regret as it was probably the best advice I was given. Had I taken heed whilst at college my work would probably have developed much faster. So to Barry Raynor thank you, I did eventually listen, I just wish I had done so sooner.

Black Redstart

Male Black Redstart. Pencil and Ink Wash.

Lesser Black Backed Gull

Lesser Black Backed Gull preening. Pencil and Ink Wash. 110mm x 110mm

Male Stonechat

Male Stonechat. Pencil and Ink Wash. 160mm x 130mm.

Another drawing for the Huddersfield Bird Report.

Wheatear and Kingfisher

Male Wheatear. Pencil and Ink Wash. 150mm x 110mm

Kingfisher. Pencil and Ink Wash. 150mm x 110mm.

Two different images, the quiet attitude of the Kingfisher contrasting with the action of the scolding Wheatear. Another pair of drawings intended for the 2007 Huddersfield Birdwatchers Club Report.

I first drew the images using a 6B Progresso graphite pencil on Winsor and Newton Cartridge paper. The paper was then soaked and stretched onto the drawing board and allowed to dry. The drawings were then tinted using gradually darker washes of Winsor and Newton Indian Ink.